In an era where mobile game developers are still trying to emulate and combine the successes of cash-grabbers like Clash of Clans with the addictiveness of MMORPG-style gear progression, LINE Games’ First Summoner sits comfortably ahead of a lot of its competition. It offers no autoplay, and there is no hard paywall preventing you from progressing through the main story. Instead, Line Games delivers an experience that is mostly honest with the player, thoroughly engaging and free-to-play even into the endgame. But it is defined also by its many faults. While it stands above notably lesser games of its ilk, it eventually succumbs to the same microtransactions, gambling-like systems and content-locking that dominates modern gaming. It’s maybe just a little more fun in the meantime.
